Nine years ago today someone I had never met told me my 10 week old child needed open heart surgery in less than 12 hours. Her heart was the size of an acorn and if I did not let this complete stranger operate on my child she surly would have died. There was no medical reason Madelynn should be alive today other than God had greater plans for her bigger than I could have possibly imagined.
I won't lie it has been a rough week. A few days ago was the fifth anniversary of Phil's brother being killed in a very tragic accident. When I think about how the events of that day effected Phil it makes me cry. It is one of those things you never truly get over. To pour salt on a very open wound one of my most favorite heart hero's, Brandon, passed away Tuesday. He was having some difficulty when the doctors went in to try and relieve that difficulty he had a massive heart attack and died at the very tender age of eleven.
So to say the least my emotions have been all over the place. The joy of celebrating Madelynn's 9th "Heart" Birthday always makes me smile. Over the weekend Madelynn made a poster to show her heart defects and added pictures of her journey along the way. Tomorrow on the anniversary of her life saving surgery she will stand before her 3rd grade class and tell them her story for the first time. I have always told the story for her. Monday she will share her story her way. I want her to be proud that she is a CHD Warrior. I don't want her to be afraid of her journey. If something happens down the road and her heart needs additional correction I want her be strong enough and aware of everything she has already been through.
Sometimes being a good wife to a husband who suffered a great loss, being a good mother and advocate for my child to save her life and being a good friend to a mother who just lost her amazing son is more difficult and physically exhausting than I can fathom. I had posted on FB that crafting gives me peace. It takes me to a place to regroup and find my strength and for a short while nothing else matters. However recent events I needed something more and as always God provided it.
We were invited Saturday to explore 75 acres of land that Papa Dave bought a few months ago in South Carolina. I won't lie spending almost 12 hours out in the country where my cell phone didn't work with in a 10 mile radius of the property was magnificent. I stood in glorious silence while my children fished and were not interested in any electronic device. Sometimes the pond was so still from the lack of sound it looked like glass. The kids explored an old tobacco barn, cleaned horse stalls, collected pine cone (for Mommy's crazy craft ideas), played with a litter of hunting puppies and even walked a pasture full of rescue horses just waiting to be broken and trained.
By the time we left the kids we 12 miles past exhausted and wanted their beds. I wasn't sure what we would do for a fall adventure because I have been so consumed with everything I committed to in everyday life that this adventure was just what the soul needed. My only regret of the day was that I never took a picture of the five of us. Although in a way this really bummed me out the fact that I was so consumed with being outside and the kids having fun I have other pictures to share about our adventure.
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| Madi on Papa Dave's tractor |
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| Madi and Cash running the fields. |
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| Madi and Jack taking a ride on the back of the gator. |
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| KT and Daddy fishing. |
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| Daddy and Madi trying to get the one that got away. |
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| KT in heaven one of Papa Dave's rescue horses. |
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| One happy girl..... |
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| Jack taking a driving lesson on the gator with Nana Patti. |
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| Papa Dave's daily morning view. |
Happy Heart Birthday Madelynn!! I never know where this adventure will take us and I am so proud to be your mother. I hope you do an excellent job presenting your story to your classmates. Love you to the moon and back.
TTFN~
Mama
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